Southwest Airlines, OIA's busiest carrier, raises fares

Orlando International Airport's busiest carrier increased its fares Monday, saying the price of round-trip tickets will go up between $4 and $10, depending on the length of the trip.

Southwest Airlines attributed the increase to rising fuel costs, which have eaten away at airline industry profits in recent months. The fare hike applies to domestic markets served by Southwest and AirTran Airways, which Southwest acquired last year.

"We attribute our fare increase to the soaring fuel prices and current economic environment, which are both big hurdles for us this year," said Southwest spokeswoman Michelle Agnew. "Fuel is the driving factor behind this increase."

Other airlines quickly followed with their own increases, according to FareCompare.com, which tracks airline prices. FareCompare reported that Southwest's increase came on the heels of a price increase by JetBlue Airways last week.